Ex-Georgia lawmaker Karen Bennett admits to lying to collect pandemic unemployment — weeks after resigning

A former Georgia House member pleaded guilty Wednesday to lying to collect federal unemployment benefits during the pandemic.

Karen Bennett’s guilty plea to one count of making false statements to collect $13,940 had been expected after waiving indictment on Jan. 5.

She resigned from the House just before being charged. Bennett, 70, was first elected in 2012.

Bennett’s lawyers asked for her to be sentenced Wednesday, but US District Judge Eleanor Ross declined, setting sentencing for April 15.

Bennett’s lawyers said she will pay back the $13,490 but said prosecutors have agreed to seek no prison time or supervised release.

Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday called a March 10 special election to replace Bennett in House District 94, which includes parts of DeKalb and Gwinnett counties.

If no candidate wins a majority, a runoff would follow April 7. The current legislative session is scheduled to end April 2.

Bennet was the second Democratic House member to be charged with lying to obtain federal unemployment assistance during the pandemic.

Rep. Sharon Henderson, a Covington Democrat, was indicted in December on charges of theft of government funds and making false statements, accused of illegally collecting $17,811 in unemployment benefits.

Henderson is free on bail and remains in office.

A review commission is supposed to recommend to Kemp on Thursday whether Henderson should be suspended from office pending trial.

Prosecutors said Bennett, a physical therapist, lied in 2020 when she stated she was being prevented by quarantine from working for Metro Therapy Providers, a company Bennett owned.

Prosecutors said that in reality, Bennett’s role with the company was administrative and she worked from a home office, instead of providing therapy to clients.

They also allege that Metro Therapy continued operating and generating income after a brief disruption.

In addition, prosecutors say Bennett failed to disclose that she was also receiving $905 in week pay from a church. Bennett has been a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The federal government paid special unemployment benefits during the pandemic, using state unemployment systems, to people who lost their jobs because of COVID-19.

As with regular unemployment benefits, applicants had to certify every week that they remained unemployed to claim benefits.

“Bennett was elected to represent her fellow citizens and took a solemn oath to promote the best interests and prosperity of the state of Georgia,” US Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said. “Instead, she violated that oath and, during an unprecedented emergency, lied to line her own pockets with taxpayer money intended to help community members in need.”